Sponsors (18)
The bill secures long-term access to surplus DoD aircraft for wildfire suppression and protects those assets for that mission, improving firefighting readiness while reducing flexibility for other emergency uses and potentially delaying other federal disposition or sale opportunities.
State and local governments and firefighting agencies will have continued, predictable access to surplus Department of Defense aircraft for wildfire suppression through 2035, supporting planning and sustained aerial firefighting capacity.
State and local wildfire agencies may only use purchased aircraft for aircraft wildfire-suppression services, reducing the risk of misuse and helping keep specialized aerial assets available and mission-ready for fighting fires.
State and local responders will have reduced flexibility because purchased aircraft are restricted to wildfire-suppression use, preventing repurposing for other emergency missions like search-and-rescue or law enforcement.
Extending the transfer authority through 2035 may limit the availability of some surplus aircraft for other federal disposition or sale processes, potentially delaying disposals and reducing near-term sales revenue for taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Narrows allowable uses of equipment transferred under the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act to wildfire-suppression aircraft services and reauthorizes the authority from Oct 1, 2025 to Oct 1, 2035.
Official title: To amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 4, 2025 by Daniel Milton Newhouse · Last progress February 4, 2025
Amends the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act to limit aircraft or equipment sold/transferred under the authority for use only in providing aircraft services for wildfire suppression and to reauthorize the transfer authority for a defined ten-year period. It also updates a cross-reference and makes minor wording changes to clarify the statute. The bill narrows permissible uses to wildfire-suppression aircraft services, revises an internal statutory cross-reference, and sets the authority exercise period from October 1, 2025 through October 1, 2035. It does not appropriate funds or create new spending obligations.